Meso-2,3 dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), a dimercaptan acid is a heavy metal chelating or metal complexing agent that has been used extensively as a treatment of heavy metal poisoning for the past 30 years. In numerous animal studies, DMSA has been reported to be an effective heavy metal chelating agent for lead, mercury and arsenic. DMSA is favored as a treatment for heavy metal poisoning, because DMSA has been shown not to increase the excretion of essential minerals (calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron and zinc).
It has recently been discovered that meso-2,3 dimercaptosuccinic acid, its salts and metabolites can be used in warm-blooded animals for the prophylaxis or treatment of retroviruses.